 Australian Grammy award-winning pop star Kylie Minogue plays the part of Astrid Peth. Kylie Minogue's previous famous acting role was as Charlene Mitchell in the Australian soap Neighbours. Kylie Minogue has previously been referenced as a real person in "The Idiot's Lantern" when The Doctor exclaiming that 'It's never too late, as a wise person once said... Kylie, I think!', in reference to her 1989 hit single "Never Too Late".
This is not Kylie Minogue's first brush with the show. In her performance of "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" during her 2006/7 Showgirl Tour: The Homecoming tour featured disco versions of the Cybermen joining her on stage.
Jimmy Vee, who plays the part of Bannakaffalatta, played The Moxx of Balhoon in "The End of the World", the Space Pig in "Aliens of London/World War Three" and the Graske in the interactive story "Attack of the Graske". In The Sarah Jane Adventures, he appeared as the Child Slitheen in "Revenge of the Slitheen" and "The Lost Boy", and reappeared as the Graske in "Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?".
Several other cast members have appeared in previous Doctor Who stories: Bernard Cribbins played policeman Tom Campbell in the 1966 Amicus Doctor Who film Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 AD, staring Peter Cushing as Doctor Who. He also appeared in the BBC7/Big Finish Productions audio story "Horror of Glam Rock". Clive Swift played Jobel in the Sixth Doctor story "Revelation of the Daleks". Geoffrey Palmer previously appeared in the Third Doctor stories "Doctor Who and the Silurians" and "The Mutants". He is also the father of Charles Palmer - who directed "Smith and Jones", "The Shakespeare Code" and "Human Nature/The Family of Blood".
Even though it was not intended during the recording of this story but Bernard Cribbins would return to Doctor Who for the main part of Season Thirty (New Series 4) to play the part of Donna Noble's Grandfather.
This story contains a new revamped version of the theme tune with new drums, a new rhythm section, a new bass line and a new little bit of piano.
Composer Murray Gold and arranger Ben Foster both cameo as members of the Titanic's band, along with singer Yamit Mamo. A full version of the Christmas song "The Stowaway", written specially for this story, can be found on the "BBC Original Television Soundtrack - Series 3" CD. On this CD Yamit Mamo also performes a full version of the song"My Angel Put the Devil in me" from "Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks".
As explained in the 2007 Children in Need special scene "Time Crash", the Titanic collided with the TARDIS because The Doctor had left its shields down. "Voyage of the Damned" contains, before the introductory credits, an extended version of the ending of the previous story "The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords" showing the Titanic entering the TARDIS Console Room.
Angels seem to be a recurring theme throughout the revived series. The Doctor has been referred to as a Lonely Angel, faced The Weeping Angels and made use of The Master's mesmeric communication network, Archangel.
The robotic chanting "Kill, kill, kill" was first used in the Fourth Doctor story "The Robots of Death" - interestingly one of the Robots of Death also got one of their hands stuck in a door.
"Voyage of the Damned" marks the first time in the revamped show that The Doctor has referred to Gallifrey being in the constellation of Kasterborous. Earth was first referred to by its Gallifreyan name of Sol 3 in "The Deadly Assassin". It's in Mutter's Spiral, the Gallifreyan name for the Milky Way.
There have been several references to The Doctor and the original Titanic - from pictures of him present at its launch ("Rose"), denial of any responsibility in its unfortunate fate and how he survived its sinking by clinging to an iceberg ("The End of the World").
The Doctor mentions protocol 42, a number meant to be the answer to everything from the book Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy. (Incidentally, "42" was the name of story in Season Twenty Nine (New Series 3) and "Voyage of the Damned" is the 42nd episode of the revamped show).
Queen Elizabeth II has previously appeared in the Seventh Doctor story "Silver Nemesis" (by uncredited extra Mary Reynolds) and appears in person (in archive footage) in "The Idiot's Lantern".
Interestingly the production team had approached Prince Charles about making a cameo appearance in this story, but he declined the request; Angharad Baxter instead played Queen Elizabeth, with Jessica Martin subsequently dubbing the monarch's dialogue. Jessica Martin played the part of Mags in the Seventh Doctor story "The Greatest Show in the Galaxy".
For the sequence in which the tour group visits London; one of the false road signs erected was for “Donovan Street”, a reference to Kylie Minogue's Neighbours costar, Jason Donovan
Excluding Captain Jack Harkness' repeated deaths, Astrid is the first companion to die in the revived show (and the first since Kamelion in 1984's "Planet of Fire"), although she is seen to be partially resurrected and so could make a return. She is also the first alien companion since Kamelion, and the first in the revived show to have never set foot in the TARDIS.
The end of this story contains clips of some of the stories due in Season Thirty (New Series 4).
This story contained a dedication to the late Verity Lambert, the very first producer of Doctor Who who died on 22 November 2007, one day before the show's 44th anniversary.
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The Firsts:
Though not technically part of Season Thirty (New Series 4) this is the first real story of this season.
The introduction of companion Astrid Peth played by Kylie Minogue.
The first appearance of Bernard Cribbins, in the role of Wilfred Mott, before he became Donna Noble's grandfather.
Clive Swift's first involvement in the revamped show. He previously played the part of Jobel in the Sixth Doctor story "Revelation of the Daleks".
Geoffrey Palmer's first involvement in the revamped show. He previously appeared in the Third Doctor stories "Doctor who and Silurians" and "The Mutants".
Excluding Captain Jack Harkness's repeated deaths, Astrid Peth is the first companion to die in the revived series (and the first since Kamelion in 1984's "Planet of Fire").
The first time, in the revamped series, that The Doctor referres to Gallifrey as being in the constellation of Kasterborous.
Brian Minchin's first involvement in the show as Script Editor.
The first story, of the new series, to have an episode that is over an hour long.
The first Doctor Who story, of the revised series, to be watched by more than 13 million viewers.
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(Position = 10 out of 11)
(Position = 114 out of 200)
